Customer Reviews

The Earth-Sheltered House: An Architect's Sketchbook (Real Goods Solar Living Book)

5 star:		(2)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(3)

 

 

Having read the earlier reviews, I had an idea about what to expect from this unusual book. The number of incomplete projects presented was disappointing; the ideas look cool. Some of the buildings are not residences but planned commercial buildings. The book might be interesting as an idea book for an architect. A propsective home-buyer/builder might want to consider other books on the subject as starting points.

this book contained beautiful sketches, but the sketches were of multiple failed (for many reasons) projects. if you are looking for lists of what to do, or what not to do, this is not the book for you. i'm still interested in the concept, but will need to buy other books.

From an architects point of view, I found this book to be very intersting in that it proposes design concepts rarely considered in a world where everyone wants a stainless steel refrigerator and granite countertops. It certainly isn't meant as a "how to" book for the weekend warrior who wants to save a few bucks on his electricity bill. I found it to be a resource for opening minds, not just opening the ground.

Using his humor and whit, Malcom Wells describes the process of designing many earth sheltered, light filled residential and commercial buildings. At first, since the book is hand written, it may seem like a bit of a barrier, however, once you start to read it, you find that it is just part of the authors personal style. In addition to his sketches and narrative of his designs and concepts, he tells of what worked and didn't work in his experience. He also draws very telling and sometimes humorously critical cartoons on his opinions of his chosen profession,our relationships with our planet, and himself.

Wells is a pioneer in the concept of Sustained Architecture. This book is very informative on what to and not to do when considering an earth sheltered home. A great gift to the environment for the new millenium.

If you are interested in building an earth-shelter/underground home look elsewhere. This is not the book for you. I found nothing really compelling in this book and regret buying it. If you live in an area with hot summers, cold winters and no fire ants then I suggest buying "The Complete Book of Underground Houses" by, no kidding, Rob Roy. Rob claims that you can build the structure of a 40'x40' house for around 10,000 dollars. I learned from Rob that my area is probably not prime for an underground house because with the blazingly hot summers and very mild winters I won't be able to store up enough "capacitance" in the soil to give me extra "cooleth" in the summer, the time I really need it. Still, Rob Roy's book was very informative and I'm glad I bought it.

As others have pointed out none of the plans shown in the book seem to have been built. Every single one looks to have been cancelled because of budget problems. Which makes you wonder, if people with enough money to go to a professional architect find an earth-sheltered house too expensive to build, what hope do the rest of us have of building one in our lifetimes? Lots of interesting ideas but not much practical application that I can see.

However my biggest gripe is the font used in the book: a script font that is an attempt to make the book look like a hand written journal. I just found it very hard to read large amount of text with that font. They should have stuck with a normal typeface instead of trying to get cute.

Hard to recommend unless you can handle the typeface and don't mind that the book has no real practical information. (Although lots of interesting IDEAS.)

This is a great book, if you take it for what it is - a collection of sketches and ideas working to tackle the problems of underground house design. Unlike Rob Roy or Mike Oheler, who have their set methods for how to build your underground house, and who aren't much interested in other methods, Wells is interested in exporing the full spectrum of possibilities for underground structures. Many of his ideas are for larger (commercial or institutional) buildings, but houses are included as well.

The real strength of this book is in learning, along with Wells, why some of his ideas (sketches) wouldn't or didn't work. If you want a step-by-step how-to on building a home, this is not the book for you. If you're seriously considering building your own underground home (particularly if you are the builder) this book is a very important resource.

It seems that most of the reviewers have not read Malcolm's books other than this one. Mac never contends these to be guidwlines or tech-point renderings. But he is a master at formulating underground architecture. The reason that many homes didn't get built is that budget for this form of building DOES cost more,and more more efficient and earth friendly, whereas otherwise non-sustainable homes are not. This is a sketchbook, not a building manual, he does in fact sell architectural plans outside of this. These are to illuminate and vibrate the stagnant soul. It appears that some souls are more stagnant than others. Mac's books do read journal-wise and are more storylike. That's merely the way he writes. He is a warm, engaging and socially responsible human being that has found a better way to build. So, people, off the high horses.

I should give this a 4 star for sketches, but I'm hard on Architects, they had it easy in school. Anyway the drawings are nice however the designs are mostly dated and some include aspects of passive solar design. The narrative is humorous but sounds like a long "poor me" story, but you can just skip that and browse the pictures. I understand Mac Wells is usually referred to as a leader, or as his narrative suggests a martyr, the design of earth sheltered homes has moved on and there is alot more info in books by Rob Roy. Earth-Sheltered Houses: How to Build an Affordable...

Not to mention a great deal more discussion of materials, environment, etc.

In summary this is a pretty book, but probably boring for engineers or builders.

This book should be called "Mostly useless sketches of houses that were never built". As far as I can tell there is only one sketch of a house that was even attempted. While full of architectual "ideas" there is almost nothing of value for someone who wants to build their own earth sheltered home. You get the feeling he wrote this book because so many of his designs were not accepted that he just needed the money. Very disappointing.